A tuition fee waiver removes some or all of what a university charges to study. Europe has many of them, but they are spread across separate university pages. This page gathers the ones we list, by country. You can also open the Tuition Waiver filter on the scholarship board.
A tuition waiver is not the same as an application fee waiver, which only removes the cost of applying. Most tuition waivers also leave you to pay living costs, and those can be the bigger bill.
Italy
- University of Padua: student fees waived and €8,000 gross a year on the 2026/27 terms, with no separate form. The first call for most programmes closes on 15 November 2026.
- Bocconi University: 100%, 80% or 60% off for international first-year Bachelor's and Law students, based on family finances. Windows run 12 to 30 November 2026 and 15 March to 5 April 2027.
- University of Calabria: tuition, free board and lodging and €3,600 for non-EU master's students on the 2026/27 terms. The 2027/28 call is expected in January 2027.
- Politecnico di Milano: a full tuition waiver, and most awards add €2,500 to €10,000 a year. Apply by 1 December 2026, then send the scholarship form by 15 December.
- University of Bologna and Italy's regional DSU grants: income-based exemptions that can bring fees to nothing. Our Italy guide explains how they work.
Italian public universities also cut fees by income or country without any competition. At the University of Pisa in 2026-27, students with income and assets outside Italy are automatically placed on a flat fee set by their country's World Bank income group: €290 for low-income, €580 for lower-middle-income, €1,160 for upper-middle-income and €2,900 for high-income countries, before €156 in regional tax and stamp duty.
Sweden
- Anders Wall's Scholarship at Uppsala: full tuition for citizens of African countries, bachelor's or master's.
- Uppsala Global Scholarship: full tuition for a master's, for citizens outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland.
- Lund University Global Scholarship: part or all of tuition. Its 2027 dates are not out yet.
- KTH Scholarship: full tuition for a KTH master's.
- Axel Adler Scholarship at Gothenburg: tuition waived for a whole master's or eligible bachelor's.
Every Swedish waiver here asks you to rank that university first on universityadmissions.se by 15 January 2027, so choose your first choice with the scholarship in mind.
Finland
- Aalto University: the full tuition fee, if you choose the option on your application form. Master's applications run 7 December 2026 to 5 January 2027.
- Tampere University: 50% off for a few top applicants, or €2,000 off the first year if you accept early.
- University of Helsinki: scholarships that waive part or all of the fee, most of them 50%.
The University of Eastern Finland has no competitive first-year waiver for 2027. Instead it gives fee-paying students admitted that year 30% off the first year if they accept and pay by the date in their admission letter.
The Netherlands
- Leiden University Excellence Scholarship: €10,000 to €19,000 off tuition. Apply by 1 December 2026.
- TU Delft Justus & Louise van Effen: full tuition and a contribution to living costs. Apply by 1 December 2026.
- Maastricht Holland High Potential: tuition and living costs for top master's students.
Switzerland, Denmark and Belgium
- ETH Zurich ESOP: a full tuition waiver plus CHF 13,500 a semester. Apply 1 to 30 November 2026.
- Danish Government Scholarships: tuition waivers, often with a monthly grant (DKK 11,225 at Aalborg, DKK 8,000 at CBS), through each Danish university; most deadlines are 15 January. Our Denmark guide lists what each university offers.
- Master Mind in Flanders: a grant and fee waiver, though the 2027-28 call has not been announced and the scheme is under review.
How to choose
- Check who it is for. Most waivers exist because citizens outside the EU/EEA pay fees, so EU citizens often do not need them or cannot get them.
- Check whether you must ask. Padua enters you automatically, but Aalto does not: miss the option on the form and you cannot get it.
- Work out the rest of the bill. A residence permit usually asks for proof that you can pay your living costs, even with tuition waived.
- Apply early. Many waivers are decided in the first round, and the dates fall well before the final admission deadline.
Common questions
Which countries in Europe offer tuition fee waivers to international students?
Italy, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark and Belgium all have universities or governments that waive some or all tuition for international students. Most waivers are competitive, and most do not pay living costs.
What is the difference between a tuition waiver and a fee waiver?
A tuition waiver removes some or all of the cost of studying. An application fee waiver only removes the cost of applying. On our board, the Tuition Waiver filter shows the first and the Fee Waiver filter shows the second.
Does a tuition fee waiver pay my living costs?
Usually not. Most of the waivers on this page cover tuition only, so you still need money for rent, food and your visa. A few add cash, such as Padua and Politecnico di Milano.